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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USS Ajax (AG-15)
ex
 USS Ajax (AC-14) (1920 - 1924)
 USS Ajax (1901 - 1922)
 USS Scindia (1898 - 1901)

International Radio Call Sign, 1912:
Nan - Boy - Have
 NBH
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
Spanish Campaign Medal - Philippines Campaign Medal - World War I Victory Medal
Schooner rigged Scindia Class Steel-hulled Collier:
  • Built in 1890 by D & W Henderson and Co., Glasgow, Scotland
  • Purchased by the US Navy, 12 May 1898
  • Commissioned, USS Scindia, 21 May 1898, CDR. Eugene W. Watson in command
  • Decommissioned, 27 May 1899, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Recommissioned, 23 December 1899, at Mare Island
  • Renamed USS Ajax, 1 January 1901
  • Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS), from 16 October 1901 to 23 January 1907
  • Out of Service, 1907 to 1909
  • Decommissioned, 20 July 1909
  • Recommissioned, 1 May 1910
  • Designated AC-14, 17 July 1920
  • Decommissioned, 20 April 1921
  • Recommissioned, 18 October 1921
  • Reclassified Miscellaneous Auxiliary AG-15, 1 July 1924
  • Decommissioned, 8 July 1925, at Cavite Navy Yard, Philippines
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Final Disposition, sold, 14 August 1925, to S.R. Paterno, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,250 t.
    Length 387' 6"
    Beam 46' 6"
    Draft 24' 8" (mean)
    Speed 11 kts.
    Complement 101
    Armament four 6-pdrs
    Cargo Capacity 5,000 t.
    Bunker Capacity 500 t.
    Propulsion
    one triple expansion steam engine
    two coal fired Scotch boilers
    single propeller 1,060shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    USS Scindia
    Ajax 128k USS Scindia moored pierside, circa 1898-1900, location unknown. Note her smokestack lacks the usual Navy light band.
    US National Archives, RG-19-N box 1. Photo # 17-21-15    		 Mike Green
    Ajax 78k USS Scindia moored in the stream off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., circa 1899.
    US Navy photo # NH 69851 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Donald M. McPherson, 1969.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 70k USS Scindia off Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., with the tug Unadilla alongside, circa 1899.
    US Navy photo # NH 71734 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy San Francisco Maritime Museum, San Francisco, CA.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 83k USS Scindia and USS Solace (1898-1930), [with white hull,] at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., circa 1899. USS Ranger (1873-1940) is moored in mid-channel, at the far left.
    US Navy photo # NH 71719 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy San Francisco Maritime Museum, San Francisco, CA.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USS Ajax (Collier No. 14)
    Ajax
    09250632    		 144k
    Namesake
    Ajax - Is a Greek mythological hero, the son of King Telamon and Periboea, and the half-brother of Teucer. He plays an important role, and is portrayed as a towering figure and a warrior of great courage in Homer's Iliad and in the Epic Cycle, a series of epic poems about the Trojan War.
    Achilles tending Patroclus wounded by an arrow, identified by inscriptions on the upper part of the vase. Tondo from a kylix by the Brygos Painter, c. 480 BC. Paris, Louvre. The Brygos Painter was an ancient Greek Attic red-figure vase painter of the Late Archaic period. Together with Onesimos, Douris and Makron, he is among the most important cup painters of his time.    		 Robert Hurst
    Ajax 63k USS Ajax in port, circa early 1900s. The stripped hull of a smaller steamer is alongside her.
    US Navy photo # NH 61904 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 99k USS Ajax at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., October 1901. Her bow bears the marking "United States Navy - Collier," indicating that she was part of the Navy's Collier Service, established in 1898.
    US National Archives, RG-19-N box 1, Photo No. 19-N-14248, originally 17-21-8, a US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Mike Green
    Ajax 78k USS Ajax at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., October 1901.
    US Navy photo # NH 75647 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 129k USS Ajax in Dry Dock No, 2 at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., circa 1901-1906.
    US Library of Congress photo # LC-D4-18397.    		 Mike Green
    Ajax 79k USS Ajax anchored in the Hudson River, off New York City, circa 1911.
    US Army Signal Corps. photo # 111-SC-5354, now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 101k USS Ajax in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands, with submarines USS B-2 (Submarine No. 11) and USS B-3 (Submarine No. 12) on board, after transporting them from Norfolk, VA. Photographed in late April or early May 1913, before the submarines were launched from her deck.
    US Navy photo # NH 90172, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Phillip H. Wilson collection, donated by Mrs. Pauline M. Wilson, 1979.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 80k USS Ajax in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands, with USS B-2 (Submarine # 11) -- to starboard -- and USS B-3 (Submarine # 12) -- to port -- on her foredeck, circa 12 May 1913. She had transported both submarines to Manila from Norfolk, VA.
    US Navy photo # NH 98924, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Phillip H. Wilson collection, donated by Mrs. Pauline M. Wilson, 1979.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 90k USS Ajax in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands, preparing to launch USS B-2 (Submarine # 11) from her deck, circa 12 May 1913.
    US Navy photo # NH 98923, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Phillip H. Wilson collection, donated by Mrs. Pauline M. Wilson, 1979.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 85k USS Ajax launching USS B-2 (Submarine # 11) from her deck, in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands, on 12 May 1913.
    US Navy photo # NH 98173, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Phillip H. Wilson collection, donated by Mrs. Pauline M. Wilson, 1979.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 89k USS Ajax with USS B-2 (Submarine # 11) floating nearby in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands, just after the submarine was launched from her foredeck, circa 12 May 1913.
    US Navy photo # NH 98925, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Phillip H. Wilson collection, donated by Mrs. Pauline M. Wilson, 1979.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 81k USS Ajax with USS B-2 (Submarine # 11) and USS B-3 (Submarine # 12) floating nearby in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands, on 12 May 1913, just after they were launched from her deck. Ajax had transported both submarines to Manila from Norfolk, VA.
    US Navy photo # NH 90179, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Phillip H. Wilson collection, donated by Mrs. Pauline M. Wilson, 1979.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 61k USS Ajax at Olongapo Naval Station, Philippine Islands, 22 February 1915. She is dressed with flags in honor of George Washington's birthday. The masts of USS Pompey (1898-1922) are visible behind Ajax.
    US Navy photo # NH 88563, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy C.A. Shively, collection, 1978.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Ajax 207k USS Pompey outboard of USS Ajax (Collier #14) at Olongapo Naval Station, 22 February 1915. Note that both ships are dressed with flags for Washington's birthday. Pompey no longer has Naval Auxiliary markings although Ajax retains them.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo # NH 88564 courtesy C.A. Shively, collection, 1978.    		 Mike Green
    Ajax 109k USS Ajax in Philippine waters, circa 1919. An armored cruiser is also present, beyond Ajax' bow.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command photo # NH 71583 courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1970.    		 Robert Hurst
    USS Ajax (AG-15)
    Ajax 98k USS Ajax (AG-15) off Shanghai, China, circa 1924, while serving as an aircraft tender. A Douglas DT torpedo plane (marked "20-T-1") is on her deck.
    US Navy photo # NH 76073, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center, courtesy Donald M. McPherson, 1972.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    USS Scindia / USS Ajax (AC-14 / AG-15)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Watson, Eugene Winslow, USN :ADM21 May 1898 - 27 May 1899
     Decommissioned27 May 1899 - 23 December 1899 
    02CDR. Miller, James Madison, USN (USNA 1867)23 December 1899 - 1901Ajax
    03MASTER Hutchinson, Joseph Samuel (Naval Auxiliary Service)23 January 1907 - 20 July 1909Ajax
     Decommissioned20 July 1909 - 26 February 1910 
    03MASTER Hutchinson, Joseph Samuel (Naval Auxiliary Service)26 February 1910 - 2 July 1912Ajax
    04MASTER Driggs, James Robert (Naval Auxiliary Service)02.07.1912 - 14 November 1913Ajax
    05MASTER Lundberg, Thorwald (Naval Auxiliary Service)14 November 1913 - 26 November 1915Ajax
    06MASTER Powers, Robert Burns (Naval Auxiliary Service)26 November 1915 - 21 January 1916Ajax
    07LT. Scott, David Alexander, USN (USNA 1907)21 January 1916 - 10 October 1916Ajax
    08Master Driggs, James Robert10 October 1916 - 10 May 1918Ajax
    09LT. Staples, Herman B. USNRF10 May 1918 - 3 August 1920Ajax
    10LT. Bettens, Joseph Warren3 August 1920 - 5 October 1920Ajax
    11CDR. Needham, Ralph Cutler, USN (USNA 1909)5 October 1920 - 20 April 1921Ajax
     Decommissioned20 April 1921 - 18 October 1921 
    12LCDR. Keller, Charles Stanley, USN (USNA 1907)18 October 1921 - 20 August 1922Ajax
    13LCDR. Miles, Alfred Hart, USN (USNA 1907)20 August 1922 - 24 June 1924Ajax
    14CDR. Read, Albert Cushing, USN (USNA 1907) :RADM24 June 1924 - 8 July 1925Ajax
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 31 July 2020